When you arrive in
Klaipeda, the
cruise ship will berth in the only
Lithuanian port, one that has been operating since the
middle of the 13th century.
The
historic centre, that dates back to when the city was known as Memel, is built in the
typical fashion of the
German medieval towns, including the square with the majestic clock tower. Klaipeda is divided into two parts: the new town, right of the river Dane and the old town that develops on the left bank.
The latter is built in the
classic chessboard layout of the 17th century German towns and still sports handsome
trellised buildings like, for example, those in the artisan district: used as warehouses in the past, they now host
art galleries, cafés or
clubs. There is a variety of
sculptures around town, starting from that of the
Four Winds, in the port, at the entrance of the terminal where your MSC cruise ship is berthed.
Visit the handsome neo-classic
Dramos theatre, which is the main building in the square and where you also find a statue dedicated to the poet,
Simon Dach. Your MSC
cruise of Northern Europe & cruises from UK also offers
two excursions, both along the coast. Palanga, in the north, is the largest Lithuanian seaside resort with a walk that ends at the long pier on the sea. This is located along the ancient Amber Road and it is not rare to find bits of this resin stone on the white beach after a heavy storm.
For sure you can admire this stone in the city's Amber Museum. To the south instead we find the Neringa peninsula, a 98km long sand bar that separates the Curi lagoon from the Baltic Sea and where, in Nida, you find the largest dune in Nothern Europe; this is a UNESCO world heritage site for its importance in the biosphere.
